"Ready to move out?" Noctis asked.

As much as Noctis would have rather waited longer, spending more time with Prompto, he knew that they had to carry on. They still had to get their weapons, find the crystal, stop Ardyn and restore light to the world.

So much to do, and Noctis had to keep pretending he was okay with it. He was still only 20, and he had so much weight on his shoulders. And that wasn't even with the added fact he had opened his feelings to Prompto, giving him a whole other thing to think about.

"We're ready when you are," Ignis replied.

"Yeah, lead the way, Noct!" Prompto added.

Together, the group left the dormitory, heading back out into the hell that was the series of hallways of the Zegnautus Keep. Eventually, they found themselves in a different area, one where Ignis was able to hear a low humming sound from across a long catwalk.

"It's here."

Noctis stared up at the door. "This thing? Beyond the door?" He gave the door a try. "It's locked."

"It's coming from within. Is there no way through?"

Noctis hummed, looking at the door, hoping to find some sort of opening. As he did, he noticed Prompto walk up to his side. He gave a quick side glance to Noctis, his eyes saying everything.

"Only do it if you want to," Noctis whispered softly.

Prompto nodded solemnly before he exhaled. "I know a way to unlock the door…"

Noctis and Gladio watched as Prompto walked over to the door's scanner, holding up his right wrist. A second later a beep was heard and the door unlocked.

"Well, Noct and I kind of learned some stuff while we were here. Learned MTs… got these codeprints… looks kind of like a barcode."

Prompto started to rub his wrist absentmindedly. Noctis knew that Prompto hadn't gotten through it just yet, and it wouldn't be any time soon. But he had taken this step to expressing the truth.

"So, yeah… as it turns out…I'm one of them. Not exactly something I could tell people growing up in Lucis."

"Prom, you didn't know," Noctis countered quickly.

"But I knew I was different. No other kid had a barcode on their wrist. Besides…" He glanced between Noctis and the other two. "You guys are like…the only friends I've ever known. I just hope that things can stay the way they were."

"And you know I don't care where you were born. I just care about you, Prompto," Noctis replied.

"And I don't see you turning against us. Not now, or ever," Ignis added.

Prompto smiled slightly. "Thanks. Still…I can't change where I came from. But yeah… I know what you're going to say, Noct."

"You know it," Noctis grinned, playfully punching Prompto's shoulder. "After everything you and I went through with each other, you know there's no way I'm letting you talk yourself down. You're Lucian, through and through."

Feeling warmth in his chest, Prompto reached over to hug Noctis. "I'm glad you were there before. You really never gave up on me."

"And I never will give up on you," Noctis replied, returning the hug.

After a moment between them, Noctis let go, taking a step back. "Now come on, we got a generator to destroy."

The four headed into the room which turned out to be the throne room for the Emperor. He was nowhere to be found, with only remains of his robes being left on the throne itself. It wasn't much to pay attention to as Noctis was focused on getting to the device.

He rammed his father's sword into it and the humming soon stopped as the machine shut down.

"So… did it work?" Prompto asked.

"With the device down and out, Noct's power should be up and running," Ignis concluded.

Holding out his hand, Noctis gave summoning his weapons a try. In an instant, the familiar feeling flooded his body, and magic, crystallized weapons appeared. He reached out and grabbed onto his engine blade, gripping it tightly in his hand.

They were back to normal, and now they could properly progress on their mission to find Ardyn and the Crystal.

After they exited the throne room, it wasn't long before daemons started to show up again, but now that Noctis had his arsenal back, it proved to be a lot easier. He still used the Ring however, even if he hated how he could feel it draining his energy at times.

Along the way they ended up finding the daemon form of the Emperor, his last thoughts still echoing through the daemonized body. They fought until the daemon was defeated, leaving them to once again keep pressing forward, heading deeper into the keep.

Eventually, they made their way down to a loading bay, but it wasn't met with an easy road. Ravus, or what was left of Ravus, walked into the room.

'Leave it to Ardyn to try and make things even more difficult…'

When the battle was done, a moment of silence was held for the fallen Tenebraen prince. Even with everything he had done against them, Noctis knew he didn't deserve such a fate.

When they moved on again, once more the room filled with daemons, surrounding them on all sides. The group jumped into action, fighting off each monster that came at them, but more and more kept on coming.

"We're getting nowhere!" Gladio shouted.

"And they just keep coming!" Prompto added.

"Noct, you must go alone," Ignis stated suddenly.

The words almost made Noctis stop dead in his tracks. "What?"

"If you can obtain the Crystal's power, we may yet turn the tide. Elsewise, we are all likely to perish here," Ignis replied.

"Iggy's right. It's our only chance," Gladio added.

Noctis still couldn't believe what was being said. "But what about you?"

After such a long and trying journey, he had only just been reunited with Ignis and Gladio, and now they wanted him to go? He knew why, and he could see their reasonings, but it still wasn't sitting right with him.

"A-are you sure?" Prompto asked. "There's a lot more daemons than before."

"We can handle it, but Noct should go," Gladio said.

That was another thing. With everything Noctis had been through with Prompto, he couldn't imagine running off, leaving him behind, even if it was just with Gladio and Ignis.

"You could still get to the Crystal… if you went on your own. Your friends will have to stay behind," Ardyn's voice echoed from a speaker.

Noctis gritted his teeth. He didn't want to leave them, but he knew this could be their only chance. He saw that an elevator across the loading bay arrived, with its doors opening, as if it were ready and waiting for Noctis.

Just as he started to run towards it, he heard Prompto from behind.

"Oh, screw Ardyn!" Prompto shouted.

"Prompto wait!" Gladio yelled.

"I'm not letting Noct go alone. Ardyn wants him to, which means nothing good can come from it!"

Just as Noctis arrived at the elevator doors, he turned to see Prompto running up right behind him.

"But Prom-"

"No buts! I'm not getting separated from you again or letting you deal with Ardyn alone!"

There was no time to argue, not that Noctis would argue for Prompto to stay back. Together, they quickly ran into the elevator, which closed immediately and began its descent.

"We're sticking together," Prompto stated firmly.

"Thanks," Noctis replied with a nod.

"How interesting… Can't follow one simple task now can you?" Ardyn mused, sounding rather unamused.

The elevator opened up on the other side when it came to the bottom floor. They were in another large hanger, with one large door across the room.

Hangar gate closing. Please stand clear.

As soon as the automatic voice spoke, the large door began to slowly close.

"You'd better think fast. I don't envy your decision. Perhaps now is the time you actually go it alone," Ardyn taunted.

Noctis hissed. "Come on, we gotta run for it."

"The Crystal's right up ahead?" Prompto asked.

"I guess so."

"I suppose betraying two of your loyal friends still counts for the greater good—the mark of a monarch! Step forth, Your Majesty!" Ardyn laughed loudly.

The two of them ran as fast as they could, dodging daemons spawning all around them. As they were closing in on the hanger door, larger daemons began to crop up, almost blocking their pathway. Unless they tried to dodge and run around the daemons, it was going to be tricky to get by with enough time before the door closed.

Unless…

"Prompto, I need you to hold on tightly to me."

"What?"

"I'm going to warp us over to the door before it closes."

"But Noct, I've never warped! I haven't learned how to do that yet!"

Not wanting to waste any more time, Noctis threw one arm around Prompto's waist as he summoned his blade to his other hand.

"Better now then never."

Before Prompto could protest Noctis threw his sword as far forward as he could, challenging all of his magic into warping. As he warped, he could feel Promtpo holding on tightly, cursing softly under his breath.

He took a few more wraps until they were finally at the door, just moments before it actually was about to close.

Letting go of Prompto, he made sure that he could stand on his own. Warping for the first time wasn't fun for anyone, and he was sure that Prompto was going to feel a little shaky.

"You good?"

"Holy shit, you warped me! I actually fucking warped!"

"Yeah, but come on, you can scold me later," Noctis said pulled him to the other side of the hanger door.

"If you wish to obtain the Crystal's power, you must be prepared to lose all else," Ardyn stated.

Noctis took a deep breath as he looked back. He saw Gladio and Ignis on the upper level he had come from, still fighting off hordes of daemons. It made him feel sick that he had to abandon them in such a manner, knowing that he was leaving them on their own again.

Gate closed.

Now that the door was shut tight, Noctis sighed. "Don't die on me."

"They'll be fine. They got all the way here on their own, so let's not give up on them," Prompto reassured.

"Right. Let's go get the Crystal."

In this room, there was a catwalk leading to another elevator, this one smaller and circular. When they entered, and it began to move, Ardyn's voice once again came, still sounding just as slimy as ever.

"Do you suppose your dear friends are still alive? Those who died for you—do you ever wonder what went through their minds? Can you even recall their final words?"

"Don't let him get to you," Prompto said, reaching over to give Noctis's hand a squeeze.

"I won't. And we're going to come back for them. I swear."

They ran down a long white hallway, their footsteps echoing quietly around them.

"How far's this go? The Crystal had better be here," Noctis muttered.

"It has to be here," Prompto replied. "Can't you like, feel it or something?"

"I dunno… But let's just hope it is. Everyone's counting on it…counting on me."

Finally, they entered the next room and there it was; the Crystal. It still shined and glowed just as Noctis remembered it.

"Your journey is over, Noct…"

"It'd be nice if we could shut him up…" Prompto said as he ran right behind Noctis.

Taking a deep breath, Noctis stepped up before the Crystal, holding his hand outward. "Please… Help me stop the daemons."

As if replying, the Crystal began glowing brightly. Suddenly, it felt like an invisible force was around Noctis's hand, pulling him closer towards the Crystal… and instead of touching the geo his hand started to sink inside.

"What the hell?" Prompto asked as he ran up beside him. "What's happening?!"

"I don't know," Noctis replied, trying his best to pull himself free, but the force was too strong, pulling him further into the glowing light of the Crystal.

From behind, Noctis could see Ardyn walking towards them, muttering something about an old tale from ages ago. But Noctis could barely even focus on what was being said, he was far more concerned about the fact that the Crystal was absorbing him.

Prompto grabbed onto his free hand, trying to pull him out. "Come on! This can't be happening!"

"I can't stop it, Prompto. It's pulling me in," Noctis replied, now with his legs already inside of the crystal.

"I'm not losing you like this!"

Prompto wrapped his arms around Noctis, pushing them up against the Crystal all while Noctis seamlessly kept sinking in further.

"Prom, I don't think that… It's not going to help…"

"No way! I… I can't… We don't know what will happen after this!"

"I'll come back. Promise."

"But I… I can't risk it!" Prompto shouted before he stood up on the tips of his toes and pressed his lips hard against Noctis's.

It was sudden and shocking, but Noctis didn't waste a single second before wrapping his one free arm around Prompto.

The first kiss.

It was hasty and probably done in the worst place they could have had it happen. But, Prompto was right, they had no idea what would happen after this. Without knowing what would happen after the Crystal absorbed him, Noctis gladly took the moment to share their first, and hopefully not last, kiss.

The weight of Prompto's body leaned against the Crystal slacken, causing Prompto to lean his head back, staring with wide eyes.

"Uh, Noct?"

"Yeah?"

"The Crystal… It's pulling me in too."

Noctis continued to hold Prompto tightly, feeling his body being lifted up as it was truly being pulled in along with him.

From beyond Prompto, Noctis glanced to see Ardyn still standing there. He had stopped his story, and while Noctis hadn't been paying attention to most of it, he could have sworn he heard Ardyn say 'Ardyn Lucis Caelum'. But now the mysterious man had stopped his story, now looked rather dumbfounded.

"Hmm, now this is quite a peculiar change… Even a failed clone is deemed worthy? Hardly amusing," he scoffed. "But nonetheless, you, Noctis, will still arise as the Crystal's champion. Only once the Crystal and King are no more…can I know redemption. Come back soon. I shall keep your friends company until you are ready."

The light of the Crystal was flooding his vision as he watched Ardyn turn away. Everything was becoming too bright.

"Noct…?"

"Don't let go," he whispered to Prompto. "Keep holding on."

Even when neither of them knew what was going to happen, Noctis was glad Prompto was with him. The thought that he could had done this alone sounded so much worse, now that he knew it would end with the Crystal sucking him in.

Prompto gave him that small sense of calm over everything else, even if he too was now sharing his fate.